(Photos by Wes Allison) – The most interesting thing about Lights Out 12 or any iteration of the race is the duration and nature of the event. You cannot win the race on Wednesday night but you sure can try to set a record or make a run that might hold as the top qualifying all weekend long. The grueling nature of a race that runs on average of 16 hours a day is certainly well known to the crews who are often up all night to perform service and repair work on cars that get beaten into a bloody pulp, making max effort runs day after day.

This gallery of photos captures the nighttime pit scene at South Georgia Motorsports Park and it’s varied in its look. There are crew chiefs breaking down data, crew guys breaking down engines and the exhaust look in the eyes of some that only drag racers truly understand.

This is one event that will take it out of you relentlessly if you aren’t have a good week, but if you do? If you do you can claim to be the best in the world on a small tire because the entire army of killer competitors is there to try and stop you.

Hit the images below to expand them and then scroll on to see them all –